Selon des données Lipper pour Funds People, l’encours à fin juin des 22 fonds de hedge funds de droit espagnol ressortait à 287 millions d’euros contre 310 millions d’euros fin 2009. Il avait atteint le milliard d’euros en juillet 2008.Le produit le plus performant a été le Foncaixa Privada Estrategia Hedge (InverCaixa) avec un gain de 11,86 % au premier semestre, avec une volatilité de 7,71 %, suivi du Renta 4 Minerva (6,99 % de performance et 5,71 % de volatilité) et le DWS Topiary Select (5,97 % de performance et 3,29 % de volatilité). Neuf des 22 fonds analysés ont enregistré des gains sur janvier-juin ; le total monte à 13 si l’on prend en compte les douze mois à fin juin.Funds People souligne que 18 des 22 fonds accusent des pertes depuis leur lancement jusqu’au 30 juin 2010, dont 5 qui perdent plus de 15 % et deux qui perdent plus de 20 %
Selon Les Echos, le fonds souverain LIA, basé à Tripoli, entré au capital du premier groupe bancaire italien UniCredit en août, est monté à 2,6% du capital. De son côté, la Fondation Cariverona, actionnaire historique, a ramené sa position à 4,6%. En comptant la participation de la banque centrale de Libye détenue depuis fin 2008 (5%), ce sont désormais 7,6% du groupe dirigé par Alessandro Profumo qui sont contrôlés par Tripoli.
Anders Johnsson, responsable du Trading & Capital Markets au sein du Merchant Banking de SEB, a été nommé responsable de la division Wealth Management de la banque suédoise. Il succède à Fredrick Boheman, qui va prendre la tête de SEB Germany.Ces nominations prennent effet le 1er novembre.
Newton Investment Management (BNY Mellon Asset Management) a annoncé un renforcement de son équipe de gestion des comptes et de vente des fonds communs de placement.Mark Hammond a ainsi rejoint Newton en qualité de team leader sur l’activité «institutional pooled funds». Par ailleurs, James Blake a été recruté en tant que account manager rattaché à Mark Hammond.Mark Hammond travaillait précédemment chez Fidelity alors que James Blake vient de passer trois années chez Axa Investment Managers.
Vendredi 17 septembre, la société de capital investissement britannique 3i a annoncé sa décision de regrouper ses activités de LBO et de capital-développement, qui selon l’entreprise, convergent de plus en plus en termes de processus d’investissement et de nature des investisseurs. Il était donc logique de les fusionner a précisé 3i tout en leur donnant une orientation plus régionale. Dans la foulée de ce regroupement, Jonathan Russell, le patron de l’activité LBO, va quitter 3i.
Selon José Manuel Dabrio, directeur général d’Altae, filiale de banque privée de Caja Madrid, les encours sont remontés, mais la confiance n’est pas revenue et elle provoque une fuite des clients vers les dépôts bancaires traditionnels, qui sont peu margés, rapporte Cinco Días. Ainsi Banif, filiale de banque privée du Santander, a enregistré une hausse de 9,4 % de son encours au premier semestre, à 32,15 milliards d’euros, mais son bénéfice a chuté dans le même temps de 18,6 % par rapport à janvier-juin 2009. De même, le bénéfice du Banco Urquijo a plongé de 18 %. Quant à l’UBS, l’un des rares établissements dont les résultats se sont améliorés au premier semestre, entre autres grâce à une politique de réduction des dépenses, elle reste dans le rouge.
Depuis le 17 septembre, le segment XTF de la plate-forme électronique Xetra de la Deutsche Börse a accueilli son 703ème ETF avec le BofAML Hedge Fund Factor Euro Source ETF de Source. Ce fonds réplique l’indice de hedge funds ML Factor Model (EUR Adjusted) Index qui reflète la performance d’un portefeuille synthétique composé des valeurs les plus connues et les plus liquides du S&P 500, du Russell 2000, du MSCI EAFE et du MSCI Emerging Markets, avec des positions aussi bien longues que courtes, et une actualisation mensuelle. La composition du portefeuille se fonde sur des algorithmes de Merrill Lynch International pour répliquer le Hedge Fund Research Inc. Weighted Composite Index.Ce fonds est un produit de droit irlandais (IE00B3NY0D27) qui est coté depuis le 4 août sur le London Stock Exchange. Il est assorti d’une commission de gestion de 0,70 %.
Au 1er septembre, Ulrich Nack, qui vient de TMW Property Investment GmbH, a rejoint laSalle Vermögensverwaltung GmbH, également à Munich, comme directeur général. La société prendra le nom de LaSalle Investment Management KAG lorsqu’elle aura reçu l’agrément de la BaFin (lire notre dépêche du 27 août). Il est prévu qu’elle gère des fonds immobiliers institutionnels.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } As of 1 September, Ulrich Nack, previously of TMW Property Investment GmbH, has joined LaSalle Vermögensverwaltung GmbH, also based in Munich, as CEO. The firm will become known as LaSalle Investment Management KAG once it receives BaFin approval (see Newsmanagers of 27 August). The firm plans to manage institutional real estate funds.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } On 17 September, the XTF segment of the Xetra electronic trading platform from Deutsche Börse admitted its 703rd ETF, the BofAML Hedge Fund Factor Euro Source ETF, from Source. The fund, which replicates the hedge fund index ML Factor Model (EUR Adjusted) Index, which reflects the performance of a synthetic portfolio composed of the best-known and most liquid shares of the S&P 500, Russell 2000, MSCI EAFE and MSCI Emerging Markets indices, with both long and short positions, and monthly updating. The composition of the portfolio is based on Merrill Lynch International algorithms to replicate the Hedge Fund Research Inc. Weighted Composite Index. The fund is an Irish-registered product (IE00B3NY0D27), which has been listed on the London Stock Exchange since 4 August. It carries a management commission of 0.70%.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } PKB Privatbank, which has been present in Lugano since 1969, announced on 17 September that it had acquired all shares in Gesfid bank, a specialist in wealth management. Gesfid, which has been present in Lugano for 25 years, was previously controlled by the Italian insurance firm Fondiaria-SAI, which had no other offices in Switzerland. PKB says that “the acquisition of Gesfid represents an excellent occasion for the group to develop in Switzerland.” PKB Privatbank SA has branch offices in Bellinzone, Geneva, and Zurich. The wealth management specialist bank has assets under management of CHF5bn, and about 180 employees. Assets under management at Gesfid, with 60 employees, are about CHF1.7bn.
Anders Johnsson, currently head of Trading & Capital Markets within Merchant Banking at SEB, has been appointed head of Wealth Management of the Swedish bank. He succeeds Fredrik Boheman, currently head of Wealth Management, who has been appointed new head of SEB Germany. The appointments are effective as of 1 November 20.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } In second quarter 2010, at a time when the Spanish government has been obliged to offer higher returns in order to borrow, as the markets had doubts about its solvency, local pension funds increased their exposure to government bonds, Expansión reports. Allocation to Spanish government debt increased from 48% to 53%, for a total of EUR43.66bn as of the end of June, of which EUR19.95bn (or 23%, compared with 20% at the end of March) were for government debt. The pension fund most exposed to Spanish government debt is BBVA 23 (92,343 subscribers and EUR1.54bn in assets), 75% of whose assets, or EUR1.16bn as of the end of June, were invested in Spanish government debt, compared with EUR605m as of the end of March.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } José Manuel Dabrio, CEO of Altae, the private banking affiliate of Caja Madrid, says that assets have risen back, but confidence has not returned, which is provoking the flight of clients to traditional savings accounts, which have lower fees, Cinco Días reports. Banif, the private banking affiliate of Santander, has posted a 9.4% increase in assets in first half, to EUR32.15bn, but its profits in the same period fell 18.6% compared with January-June 2009. Profits at Banco Urquijo have fallen 18%. UBS, one of the few firms where results improved in first half, in part due to cost-reduction measures, remains in the red.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } UCITS format funds have posted overall net inflows of EUR5bn for the month of July, compared with net outflows of EUR31bn in June, according to the most recent statistics from the European asset management association (EFAMA). This development is related to better-than-expected results on stress tests and to a more favourable environment in the Euro zone. Net inflows to long-term UCITS funds, excluding money markets, totalled EUR16bn, while the month of June brought net outflows of EUR100m. Bond funds attracted a net EUR9bn, following outflows of EUR3.1bn in June, and equities funds attracted EUR4.8bn, following outflows of EUR1.7bn in June. However, money markets continued to lose a further net EUR10.8bn, following EUR31.2bn in outflows one month previously. Dedicated funds continued to attract capital, with net inflows of EUR7.3bn, compared with EUR11.6bn in June. The same trend may be observed for real estate funds, which show inflows of EUR1bn in July, following outflows of EUR0.5bn in June.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } According to data from Lipper for Funds People, assets in the 22 Spanish-registered funds of hedge funds as of the end of June totalled EUR287m, compared with EUR210 as of the end of 2009. Assets peaked at EUR1bn in July 2008. The best-performing fund was the Foncaixa Privada Estrategia Hedge (InverCaixa), with gains of 11.86% in first half, and volatility of 7.71%, followed by the Renta 4 Minerva (6.99% returns and 5.71% volatility), and the DWS Topiary Select (5.97% returns and 3.29% volatility). Nine of the 22 funds analysed posted gains in January-June; the total comes to 13 for the twelve months to the end of June. Funds People points out that 18 of the 22 funds show losses from their launch to 30 June 2010. 5 funds have lost more than 15%, and two have lost over 20%.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } The French asset management firm Lyxor Asset Management (Société Générale group) has announced the recruitment of Fabien Pavlowsky, head of manager selection for directional trading strategies at Financial Risk Management in New York, as head of quantitative strategies within the hedge fund research team in New York. The recruitment follows another recent recruitment of Francis Chu as head of discretionary trading strategies in the hedge fund research team, also in New York. Laurent Seyer, CEO of Lyxor Asset Management, on Friday, 17 September confirmed to Reuters that the firm is planning to make acquisitions or form partnerships in some global regions, particularly on the US tracker market. To this end, Lyxor AM has already contacted several firms and is examining various strategic options to penetrate this market, the agency reports.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Bloomberg reports that Citadel LLC is planning to slash the management fees for its two largest hedge funds – Kensington and Wellington – in order to attract new clients, as inflows are at their worst levels for two decades. Citadel lost 55% of its assets in the stock market declines of 2008, and when investors sought to withdraw USD1.2bn, the firm was obliged to suspend redemptions, which were reopened in late 2009. Even after returns og 62% last year, and gains of 4% in 2010, funds still need to gain 30% for investors to break even.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Fidelity Investments announced on 16 September that it has been selected by Purdue University as sole provider of 403(b) plans. Purdue previously had five providers. From 1 January 2011, Fidelity will act as administrator and account-keeper for defined-contribution retirement savings plans at Purdue, as well as for the University’s voluntary retirement savings plans. The plans have about 15,000 members, and assets represent about USD2.3bn.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } With one product focused on India and another on Russia, iShares (BlackRock) this Monday opens its platform for synthetic replication ETFs over-collateralized with multiple swap counterparties and complete transparency of the collateral lines on a daily basis. These mark a further step beyond the series of 13 ETFs launched recently by Credit Suisse in Frankfurt, London and Milan (see Newsmanagers of 10 and 16 September), for which the swap counterparty is a single, internal partner. For these new Irish-registered ETF funds, listed on the London Stock Exchange, iShares will rely on RBS, UBS and Credit Suisse as counterparties. This multiple counterparty approach will both guarantee better execution and reduce swap costs. Axel Lomholt, head of product development for EMEA, and Martin Bednall, director of product development, tell Newsmanagers that the number of counterparties for swaps will be likely to increase further in the future. The two iShares heads say that over-collateralization, which eliminates cirtually all counterparty default risks, “will reach 120% for equities collateral, and 103% for bond products.” “Up to now, of 437 ETF products in the range, 19 were previously using synthetic replication, with assets of barely USD1bn,” Lomholt and Bednall say.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Dominique Carrel-Billiard, CEO of Axa Investment Managers, is handing on the presidency of the Forum of European Asset Managers (FEAM) to Elizabeth Corley, CEO of Allianz Global Investors Europe (AGI). Carrel-Billiard will remain as vice-president of the association, while Robert Higginsbottom, chairman and CEO of the European arm of Fidelity Europe, has also been appointed as a FEAM vice president.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } The ratings agency Fitch Ratings on 17 November confirmed its ratings of funds managed by European Credit Management (ECM). The funds concerned, Corporate Credit Europse, Diversified Financials Europe, Investment Grade Europe and Pan European Credit, include largely assets rated in the “A” and “BBB” categories. The portfolios of these funds have minimal exposure to assets in the “CCC” category or below.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } On Friday, 17 September, the British private equity firm 3i announced that it has decided to merge its LBO and venture capital activities, which according to the business are “increasingly converging in terms of the investment process and the nature of its investors.” It was therefore logical to merge them, 3i says, and to give them a more regional orientation. Jonathan Russell, head of LBO activities, will be leaving 3i.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } Newton Investment Management (BNY Mellon Asset Management) has announced that it has added to its account management and mutual fund sales teams. Mark Hammond joins Newton as team leader for institutional pooled funds, while James Blake has been recruited as an account manager, reporting to Hammond. Hammond previously worked at Fidelity, while Blake spent three years at Axa Investment Managers.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } A mini-Madoff fraud scheme has been discovered in Italy. The firm, entitled Brett Trading Company Ltd., which had headquarters in Florence, Frankfurt, and the Antilles, received EUR20m from 200 clients, Il Sole – 24 Ore reports. A small group of IFAs had been offering investment plans that promised to earn 12% per year, with a minimum investment of EUR100,000. Returns were paid with the money of incoming clients.
p { margin-bottom: 0.08in; } From today, 20 September, the composition of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) has been updated on the basis of the results of the SAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment, undertaken by SAM Sustainable Asset Management. In total, the DJSI World index has admitted shares from 48 companies, while those of 46 businesses have been removed. The total number of businesses now comes to 318. Selection of “best in class” businesses is based on environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. The largest new entrants to the index are Standard Chartered, Morgan Stanley and ArcelorMittal, while the most eminent outgoing businesses are Toyota Motor, Royal Dutch Shell, and UniCredit. The new “Supersector Leaders” for 2010-2011 are: Air France-KLM, AkzoNobel, ANZ Banking Group, BMW, EDP Energias de Portugal, GPT Group, Investimentos Itaú, Lotte Shopping, Nokia, Pearson, Philips Electronics, Roche, Sasol, Siam Cement, SwissRe, Telefónica, TNT, Unilever and Xstrata.